How to Improve Data Center Branding and Messaging

Joshua Feinberg emphasizes that modern branding is no longer solely controlled by a company's brand guide but is shaped by market perceptions.

He highlights the importance of sales teams evolving to become trusted advisors and subject matter experts, especially in the context of a self-propelled buyer's journey, in which 83% of the decision-making occurs without direct company involvement.

Feinberg suggests that companies provide their sales teams with the necessary training to engage in insightful business conversations and upskill to remain relevant to buyers' expectations.

He notes that while being an expert in all 52 business models tracked by DCSMI is impossible, sales professionals must understand their core and adjacent areas to engage with prospects and clients effectively.

This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #59 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.

Action Items

Evaluate the sales team's current skill level and identify improvement areas.
Develop a training and upskilling program to help the sales team become better subject matter experts and trusted advisors.
Review the job titles and positioning of the sales team to reflect their new roles as industry experts and thought leaders.
Empower the sales team to showcase their expertise through content creation, speaking engagements, and other thought leadership activities.
Monitor the impact of these changes on the company's brand perception and the sales team's ability to engage with prospects and clients.

Outline

Branding Beyond Traditional Elements

Joshua Feinberg emphasizes that the brand is no longer limited to logos, colors, or fonts; it encompasses everything the marketplace says about the team and company.
He stresses that the marketplace, not the company, now controls the brand due to the self-propelled buyer's journey, where 83% of the journey occurs without direct company involvement.
The new battleground for branding is being seen as go-to experts, educators, trusted advisors, subject matter experts, and thought leaders in the marketplace.
Feinberg suggests repositioning sales teams to engage in business conversations, adding value similar to hiring a fractional CTO, and highlighting the need for significant upskilling in data center sales.

The Role of Sales Teams in Modern Branding

Joshua Feinberg discusses the necessity of sales teams showing up early and often to build and defend the brand against competitive attacks.
He points out that prospects and clients must strongly desire to spend time with the sales team rather than the company chasing them.
Feinberg mentions that recent podcast interviews with executives from PhoenixNAP and DataBank have highlighted the importance of having business conversations and adding value to the buyer's journey.
The upskilling required for sales professionals is significant, and companies must provide their teams with the necessary training and knowledge.

Specialization and Relevance in Data Center Sales

Joshua Feinberg explains that sales professionals cannot be experts on all 52 business models tracked by DCSMI, but must understand their core and adjacent areas.
He provides examples of different areas of expertise, such as storage, virtualization, hardware, network infrastructure, and facilities management, highlighting the need for specialized knowledge.
Feinberg stresses the importance of sales professionals up-leveling their skills to stay relevant to how prospects and clients want to engage with the company.
The conversation underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of various facets of the data center ecosystem to engage with buyers effectively.

Resources

Watch the full podcast Ep. #59 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

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